Yesterday was Trayvon Martin’s birthday. He would have been 19 years old. The whole event, from the actual shooting to the trial, still feels like it took place yesterday. I am mulling over the irony of this young man being born and then also dying in the same month many years later.

Sad to say, I was not surprised that the verdict was in Zimmerman’s favor. During the trial, there was endless debate as to whether the shooting was self-defense or murder, whether the recorded screams were the teenage boy’s or that of the shooter’s, or whom between them had the spottiest record. All of this is irrelevant as far as I’m concerned, as NONE of this would have happened had Zimmerman heeded the advice of 911 in the first place, and that was NOT to follow Trayvon.

I created this piece last year shortly after the verdict was given which was around 10:00 that night. Really, there’s not much more I can say except, “Happy birthday, Trayvon, and rest in peace.”